Stroke
Sudden face droop, arm weakness, or slurred speech — act FAST.
🚨 Call an ambulance immediately, then follow the steps below.
Step-by-step
- 1
Run the FAST test
F — Face: ask them to smile. Does one side droop? A — Arms: ask them to raise both arms. Does one drift down? S — Speech: ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is it slurred? T — Time: if ANY of these are present, call an ambulance immediately. Note the time symptoms started — paramedics will ask.
- 2
Call emergency services
Tell the dispatcher "suspected stroke" and the time symptoms started. Treatment to dissolve a clot only works in the first few hours — every minute counts.
- 3
Keep them still and calm
Help them sit down, supported. Don't let them walk around. Loosen tight clothing.
- 4
If they're unconscious — recovery position
Lay them on their side with the head tilted slightly back. This keeps the airway open and prevents choking on saliva.
- 5
Stay with them — monitor
Note any changes (worsening, vomiting, seizures) to tell paramedics. If they stop breathing normally, start CPR.
🛑 Do NOT
- Do NOT give them food, drink, or medication — their swallowing may be impaired.
- Do NOT let them "sleep it off" — every minute of delay loses brain tissue.
- Do NOT drive them yourself — ambulance crews can start treatment en route and pre-alert the hospital.
📞 Call an ambulance if…
- Any one sign of FAST is positive — call immediately.
- Sudden severe headache with no obvious cause.
- Sudden vision loss in one or both eyes.
- Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body.
This guide is educational content — not medical advice. Always call emergency services first. Sources: Red Cross, American Heart Association, NHS England.